Improvement in rotary engines



, URHEY N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITMOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON, D C.

, P. A. & I. s. KNAPPQ.v

f N1a7,539.

ROTARY ENGINE;

Pmnnea Peb'. ad, 1377*.

UNITED STATES LATEN-'r FFICE.

PHILO A. KNAPP AND IRAS. KN

Arr, or DANBURY, CONNECTICUT.

lMPROVENlENT lN ROTARY ENGINES.

Specilieation forming part of Letters Patent No. 187,539. dated February 20, 1877; application filed December 23,1876.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, PHILO A. KNAPP and IRA S. KNAEP, of Danbury, in the county ot' Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Rotary Engine, of which the following is a speciication:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of our improved rotary engine, taken on line m a: in Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is an end elevation, in part Y section, showing the internal construction ot' secured inthe center of the core of the c vlinder, the said plates forming a packing, which permits the piston-arm to rotate, but closes together after the arm passes, preventing the steam from coming into contact with the shaft.

Referring to the drawing, Ais the cylinder ot' the engine, in the ends of which heads B are screwed. A hollow core, F, consisting ot' the parts a b, is secured centrally in the cylinder by screwing them into the heads B. The inner ends of the parts a b are separated a small distance, and beveled, and to this surface the annular spring-plates c c are attached. These plates are beveled or dished, so that their peripheries meet. C C are flanged bushings, titted to the ends of the parts a. b that assist in holding the plates c c, and form a bearing for the hub D, f ornied on the center of theshaft E. rlhe shaft E isjournaled centrally in the outer ends ot' the parts a. b ofthe core F, and to the hub D a thin arm, G, is secured, which passes between the spring-plates c, and is also attached to the piston H. The piston H tits the annular space between the core F and the interior surface of the cylinder A, and is notched to receive the plates ce. Adjustable packing-pieces d are attached to the face of the piston E, by means ot which it is made to tit steam-tight in the cylinder. The advancing side of the piston is beveled or re duced in thickness, so that it may readily pass under the abutment. Iis a movable abutment, that is longer than the annular steamspace of the cylinder, and is retained in place by recesses formed in the cylinder-heads to which it is iitted.' A recess, J, is also formed in the side ot' the cylinder, which is ot' sulficient depth to receive the abutment, so as to allow thel piston to pass. The side of the abutment that forms thepivot upon which it turns is rounded, and tits a rounded groove, e, at one `side of the recess J. K is a steamchest containing the valve L, which is capable of opening or closing the supply-port M. N is a passa-ge leading from the port M, and communicating with the space at they back ot' the abutment I. A valverod,j, projects downward from the valve through the lower portion of the steam-chest, and is attached to a fork, 0, that straddles the end ot the shaft E, and

Vto which the inclined barsfg are attached.

P is a cam-lug, that projects from the shaft E, and is capable ot' engaging alternately with the bars f g. The bar'f is permanently attached to the fork O, and when it is engaged by the cam-lug P the valve L opens the port M, and admits steam to the cylinder as the piston H passes the abutment l.

Then the cam-lug I? strikes the bar g, the

slide-valve L closes the port M, cutting ott' the steam. The point of cnt-off may be varied by adjusting the bar g on the face of the fork by changing the bolts that hold it in place in the holes i t, Sac.

Q is the exhaust opening, through which steam escapes when the piston passes it.

rlhe operation ot' our improved engine is obvious. Steam being admitted to the steamchest K, the cam-lug P strikes the bar f, and 1 opens the valve L, allowing steam to pass into the cylinder after the piston has passed the abutment. The steam, acting on the piston, causes it to rotate, and when it nears the exhaustopening the cam-lug strikes the bar g, and cuts the steam oft'. The steam exhausts as the piston passes the opening Q, and the momentum of the movable parts carries the piston forward until it has raised and passed the abutment, when steam is again admitted, and the operation is repeated.

A removable portion, R, is tted to the 10W- er portion of the cylinder, which is bored out the shaft While permitting the rotation of the arm, substantially as herein shown and described. y

2. The combination of the cylinder A, the core F, shaft E, arm G, pistou H, and springplates c o, substantially as herein shown and described.

PHlLO A. KNAPP. IRA` S. KNAPP.

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. HAMILTON, LUMAN L. HUBBELL.

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